The history of Israel and Judah
points up a truth taught clearly enough by all history, viz., that the
masses are or soon will be what their leaders are. The kings set the
moral pace for the people….
Whatever sort of man the king
turned out to be the people were soon following his leadership. They
followed David in the worship of Jehovah, Solomon in the building of the
Temple, Jeroboam in the making of a calf and Hezekiah in the
restoration of the temple worship.
It is not complimentary to the
masses that they are so easily led, but we are not interested in
praising or blaming; we are concerned for truth, and the truth is that
for better or for worse religious people follow leaders. A good man may
change the moral complexion of a whole nation; or a corrupt and worldly
clergy may lead a nation into bondage….
Today Christianity in the Western
world is what its leaders were in the recent past and is becoming what
its present leaders are. The local church soon becomes like its pastor. God Tells the Man Who Cares, 59-60.
“That’s a heavy responsibility
for any leader to bear, Lord, but it’s one I realize we have to carry.
That makes moral failure or even carelessness and lax discipline so
tragic. Strengthen me in the power of Your Holy Spirit today, that I
might be a leader worth following. Amen.”
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